Hanger for the leading wheels of potato-diggers.



L. WILLIS. I HANGER FOR THE LEADING WHEELS 0F POTATO DIGGERS.APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9, 1908.

910,337. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

7H! NORRIS PETERS c0, WASHINGTON. a, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEIOE.

LELAND WILLIS, OF GRENLOCH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO BATEMANMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF GRENLOGH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 9, 1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Serial No. 456,965.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LELAND VVILLIs, a citizen of the United States,residing in Grenloch, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements inHangers for the Leading Wheels of Potato-Diggers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of potato diggers which are providedwith two leading wheels, one on each side of the main frame, the objectof my invention being to so construct the machine that these wheels arefree to turn in any direction and can, at the same time, rise and fallto accommodate themselves to inequalities in the ground, this rising andfalling movement being unattended with any strain upon the main frame,or any lateral tipping of the same.

In the accompanying drawing-Figure 1 represents, in top or plan view,sufficient of the structure of the potato digger to illustrate mypresent invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on theline aa, sbindbFig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line In thedrawing, 1l represent parts of the bars constituting the main frame ofthe machine, these bars being spaced apart from each other and usuallyconnected at their front ends to the draft mechanism and at their rearends to the mechanism whereby the digging of the potatoes is effected,but as my present invention has no reference to the latter parts of themachine, it has not been considered necessary to illustrate the same.

Extending from one of the main frame bars 1 to the other is a bridge-bar2, depressed in the center and having bolted or otherwise rigidlysecured to such depressed central portion a yoke 3, Whose upper portioncarries a longitudinal, horizontal pivot bolt 4. Upon the latter arepivotally mounted the transverse bars 5, constituting the tilting frameor hanger which carries the leading wheels 6 of the machine. Each ofthese Wheels is free to turn upon an axle 7 carried by the lower end ofa fork 9, which has a vertical stem'10 free to turn in a block 11, thelatter being interposed between and in Fig. 2, whereby each of theleading wheels 6 acts as a caster wheel and can swing freely in anydirection upon the vertical axis of the fork 7, while, at the same time,owing to the horizontal pivotal mounting of the hanger 5, the wheels canrise and fall to accommodate themselves to inequalities in the groundwithout twisting or straining the main frame or having any tendency tolaterally tilt the same.

In order to impart greater stability to the pivotal hanger, an archedbrace 12 is secured to each end of the hanger and extends rearwardlytherefrom, the central portion of this brace being pivoted, by means ofa pin 13, to a bracket 14 secured to and depending from a bridge-bar 15which is bolted to the main frame bars 1 in the rear of the forwardbridge-bar 2, the axes of the pivot bolt 4 and pivot pin 13 being inline with each other.

1. The combination of the frame of a potato digger with a transversehanger frame centrally pivoted on a horizontal axis to said main frame,and having at each end a leading wheel mounted in a fork which has avertical axial pivotal connection with the hanger.

2. '1 he combination of the main frame bars of a potato digger said barsbeing spaced apart from one another, with a bridge-bar secured to andconnecting said main frame bars, a hanger frame mounted upon saidbridge-bar by a horizontal pivot, and leading wheels having carriersmounted upon the opposite ends of said hanger frame by means of verticalpivots.

3. The combination of the main frame bars of a potato digger, said barsbeing spaced apart from one another, a bridge-bar connecting said framebars and having a depressed central portion, a yoke connected to saidcentral portion of the bridge-bar, a horizontal longitudinal pivot boltcarried by said yoke, and a transverse hanger frame pivotally mountedupon said bolt and carrying, at each end, a pivotally mounted leadingwheel.

4. The combination of the main frame bars of a potato digger, said bar'sbeing spaced apart from one another, front and rear bridge-barsconnecting said main frame bars, a hanger frame having, at each end, a

Eivotally mounted leading Wheel, an arched In testimony whereof, I havesigned my race extending rearwardly from said hanger name to thisspecification, in the presence of frame, and pivotal connections betweensaid two subscribing witnesses.

hanger frame and the forward bridge-bar and LELAND WILLIS. 5 between thebrace and the rear bridge-bar, Witnesses:

said pivotal connections having axes in line J. P. CRANSTON,

with one another. R031. A. SHEPHERD.

